After tragically losing one of Gympie Hospital’s finest health heroes to an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2020, colleagues of the late Kym Wimberly have been on a mission to honour her legacy in Wishlist’s new Wishlist Centre.
Kym, who passed away at the young age of 54, was a well-established Clinical Coder at Gympie Hospital for over 25 years, whose reach was abundantly felt by patients and colleagues.
You can still donate to honour Kym's legacy by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
“Kym was extremely generous with her knowledge and skills around the structure of the human body, and the impact of diseases and injuries. She was also thrilled to have mentored many trainee Clinical Coders including those in rural and remote locations,” Former colleague Dot Ashford said.
After Kym’s breast cancer diagnosis in July 2019, her condition escalated quickly, with the cancer ruthlessly spreading through her body. This prompted Kym to go out with a bang and celebrate her life and with those she loved the most.
“Kym was selfless personified. After her tragic passing, she organised a gift pack for each of her friends including her personal clothing and treasured accessories,” she said.
Kym with husband Gavin and furry friend she loved dearly.
To honour Kym’s legacy, Kym’s colleagues fundraised $1000 to be directed to Gympie patients and families requiring hospital accommodation and extra supports when travelling to a Sunshine Coast public hospital.
Wishlist Acting CEO Brendan Hogan said the charity is proud to honour Kym within their biggest project to date – Wishlist Centre – Australia’s first facility to offer patient accommodation, primary healthcare and complementary therapies under one roof.
“We have dedicated a place for Kym on the Honour Wall at Wishlist Centre – which is a special space on the podium level where we recognise those who’ve fundraised by donating a Virtual Brick, or played a significant role in helping us get our new Centre open on November 4,” Mr Hogan said.
“Thank you to the Gympie Hospital team who undertook this wonderful initiative. I have no doubt Wishlist Centre will be a haven for many families from Gympie experiencing a health crisis for years to come.”
Currently three out of four patients staying in Wishlist’s existing accommodation are from the Gympie region.
Wishlist raises funds to support the growing health needs of patients and families on the Sunshine Coast and Gympie.
